MILL CREEK — Despite graduating its top six leading scorers from last season, the Stanwood boys basketball team is once again heading to the Hardwood Classic.
Mitch Jones and Nate Kummer each scored 17 points as the 11th-seeded Spartans pulled away for a 64-57 win over 14th-seeded Kamiakin in a loser-out Class 3A state regional game Saturday at Jackson High School.
The victory advanced Stanwood (17-7) to the Hardwood Classic at the Tacoma Dome for the fourth time in the past five seasons. The Spartans will face No. 6 seed Eastside Catholic in a loser-out first-round game Wednesday for a spot in the state quarterfinals.
Most of Stanwood’s current players were on the junior varsity team last year during the Spartans’ run to a fourth-place state trophy.
“At a lot of other schools, they probably would’ve been on varsity (last year),” Stanwood coach Zach Ward said. “But they hung with it, and I think (that) speaks to them and what kind of kids they are.”
Stanwood senior post Matt Vail scored 11 points and senior Carson Bickford added nine points for the Spartans’ balanced attack.
Kamiakin (17-6) led by eight points midway through the second quarter, but Stanwood closed the half on a 10-0 run to take a 24-22 lead into the break.
Kummer later scored the first five points of the fourth quarter, including a running floater that stretched the Spartans’ lead to 47-37. Stanwood led by as many as 14 points in the final minutes.
Champ Grayson led Kamiakin with 22 points, including three 3s in the game’s final minute.
After a 5-5 start, Stanwood has won 12 of its past 14 games.
“A team without any first-team all-league guys that comes together and takes second in the league, second in the district and is (heading) to Tacoma — I think that speaks volumes to what kind of boys they are,” Ward said.
“They play well together (and) not one guy stands out more than the other. They don’t really care who gets the credit.”
Kamiak 41, Kentwood 38
AUBURN — The Knights rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to earn a historic win over defending state champion Kentwood in a loser-out 4A state regional game.
It was the first state-tournament victory in program history for Kamiak, which lost in the state regionals each of the past two seasons.
The Knights, who trailed 24-10 at halftime, took a 39-35 lead on a pair of Carson Tuttle free throws with 23 seconds left in the game. Kentwood’s D’Angelo Minnis made a 3-pointer to cut Kamiak’s lead to 39-38 with seven seconds to play, but Tuttle converted two more free throws in the waning seconds to seal the Knights’ victory.
Kamiak will play Union in a loser-out 4A first-round Hardwood Classic game Wednesday in the Tacoma Dome.
Prairie 65, Arlington 54
BATTLE GROUND — Kameron Osborn scored 29 points, 21 in the first half, to lead Prairie to a win over Arlington in a 3A state regional loser-out contest at Battle Ground High School.
Anthony Whitis scored 23 points and Josh Gutierrez tallied 14 for the Eagles.
Mark Morris 66, Mountlake Terrace 48
CHEHALIS — Tyler Berger scored 21 points for Mark Morris, which beat Mountlake Terrace in a 2A state regional contest at W.F. West High School to clinch a first-round bye in this week’s Hardwood Classic.
Brendan Hayes led the Hawks with 16 points, and Kyree Armstead added 13.
Mountlake Terrace will play Liberty in a first-round 2A Hardwood Classic game Wednesday.
Odessa 55, Cedar Park Christian (Mountlake Terrace) 41
MILL CREEK — Cedar Park Christian (Mountlake Terrace) struggled offensively, had no answer for Odessa guard Ryan Moffet and suffered a 1B state regional loss at North Creek High School.
The loss sends the Lions to a 1B Hardwood Classic game round of 16 game against Tulalip Heritage at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Spokane Arena.
Jacob Catey scored a team-high 13 points for Cedar Park Christian (Mountlake Terrace), and Erwin Weary added 12 points in what was the Lions’ lowest scoring total this season.
Moffet, a sophomore, hit nine 3s and finished with a game-high 37 points — 31 of which came during the first three quarters.
The Lions trailed 28-17 at half, and Odessa closed the third quarter on a 13-3 run that gave the Tigers a 44-27 lead.
Tulalip Heritage 66, Pope John Paul II 57
MILL CREEK — Paul Shay Jr. hit six 3-pointers and finished with 27 points as the Hawks qualified for the 1B Hardwood Classic with a 1B state regional win over the Eagles at Jackson High School.
Freshman Alonzo Jones-Smith added 13 points for Tulalip Heritage and Josh Iukes scored 12.
Patrick O’Shell scored 11 of his team-high 18 points in the first quarter to lead Pope John Paul II, which was making its first state appearance in the school’s eight-year history.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Eastlake 65, Lake Stevens 49
BELLEVUE — Eastlake beat Lake Stevens in a 4A state regional contest at Bellevue College to earn a first-round bye at this week’s Hardwood Classic.
Kylee Griffen, the Vikings’ leading scorer, didn’t play after suffering an ankle injury during a Tuesday practice session.
Lake Stevens will play Kentlake in a first-round game Wednesday.
Shorecrest 43, Cleveland 36
BELLEVUE — Kira Wood scored eight points in the last three minutes of the third quarter to help Shorecrest to a 34-24 lead, and the Scots went on to win a 3A state regional loser-out game at Bellevue College.
Shorecrest will play Seattle Prep in a 3A Hardwood Classic first-round game Wednesday.
Archbishop Murphy 50, Port Angeles 36
TACOMA — Archbishop Murphy built an eight-point halftime lead and pulled away in the second half to post a win in a 2A state regional game at Mount Tahoma High School.
Emily Rodabaugh led the Wildcats with 19 points.
With the win, Archbishop Murphy clinched a first-round bye at this week’s Hardwood Classic.
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